Method and device for determination of a wheel brake parameter

ABSTRACT

A method and a device for determining a characteristic value of a wheel brake are described. The characteristic value here is the brake characteristic value, which representing the relationship between the braking torque or braking force and the brake pressure of a wheel brake operated hydraulically. This brake characteristic value is determined individually for each wheel by calculations based on wheel-specific variables.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a device for determining a characteristic value of a wheel brake.

[0002] In modern control systems for brake systems, brake-specific characteristic values are often used. One essential characteristic value is the proportionality constant between the braking torque exerted on the wheel brake, i.e., the braking force applied, and the braking pressure established. This variable is used, for example, with the known vehicle dynamics control systems. Such a control system is described in the publication, SAE paper 950759 “VDC—the Vehicle Dynamics Control System of Bosch” by Anton van Zanten, Reiner Erhardt and Georg Pfaff. The setpoint braking torques for a wheel determined by the control system described there are converted into setpoint pressure values by using a proportionality factor CP, where proportionality factor CP describes the brake-specific correlation between the braking torque and the brake pressure. Furthermore, the brake characteristic values are also used in the hydraulic model to determine the brake pressures from the control signals for the valves, so that the characteristic values have an effect on the accuracy of the control. The characteristic values play a role in determination of the wheel performance (e.g., in methods of calculating slip, etc.) and variables derived therefrom.

[0003] The same thing also applies to electrically controlled brake systems in which the braking force applied to the wheel, i.e., the braking torque, is adjusted by an electronic regulator as a function of the degree of operation of an operating element, in particular a brake pedal, operable by the driver. One example of this is German Patent Application 196 48 936 A1, where the brake characteristic values are also analyzed in controlling the wheel brakes.

[0004] It has been found that the brake characteristic values of wheel brakes are not constant but instead vary as a function of temperature, the age of the brakes, and the condition of the brake disk. The reason for the change is that these circumstances result in a change in the coefficient of friction between the brake shoe and the brake disk or drum and thus influence the relationship between the brake pressure and the braking force applied, i.e., the braking torque. If brake characteristic values were assumed to be constant, this would result in inaccuracies, which are unwanted in some applications, in the calculations using these characteristic values or it would result in an incorrect appraisal of wheel performance.

[0005] Therefore, German Patent Application 196 48 936 A1 cited above describes a procedure with the help of which the brake characteristic value and/or values are adapted to the changes. On the basis of the equilibrium of forces of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, a correlation is derived there according to which the prevailing brake characteristic value is determined on the basis of the brake pressure and the deceleration of the vehicle. With the method proposed there, the brake characteristic values may be determined only for an axle.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The determination of the brake characteristic value as a function of wheel slip and additional wheel-specific variables provides an adaptation of the brake parameter, with the help of which continuous adaptation to the respective driving situation and to ambient influences is possible. This permits a more accurate evaluation of wheel performance and improves the quality of the estimation of the brake pressure, in addition to improving the regulation and/or control.

[0007] It is especially advantageous that the brake parameter is determined for each wheel only on the basis of wheel-specific variables. Therefore wheel-specific change are determined, resulting in a further improvement in the accuracy of the control.

[0008] Additional advantages are derived from the following description and the dependent patent claims.

DRAWING

[0009] The present invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of the embodiments illustrated in the drawing. FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a control device for controlling the brake system of a motor vehicle. FIGS. 2 and 3 show flow charts illustrating a preferred embodiment for determination and analysis of the brake parameter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a control unit, which includes at least one input circuit 12, a microcomputer 14, and an output circuit 16. These are interconnected via a communication system 18 for mutual exchange of information and data. Input lines lead to input circuit 12 so that signals which represent the operating variables or from which the operating variables are derivable are sent to control unit 10. FIG. 1 shows as an example input lines 20 through 24, which carry signals representing wheel speeds VRAD of the wheels of the vehicle, from measuring devices 26 through 30. Furthermore, a variable representing the admission pressure in the brake system is sent from a measuring device 32 over an input line 34; the admission pressure is the pressure established in the brake system by the driver by operating the brake pedal. Furthermore, input lines 36 through 40 are provided so that additional variables, which are of interest in conjunction with the control functions executed by control unit 10, are sent from measuring devices 42 through 46. Such variables are mentioned in the related art cited in the preamble, for example, and may include the steering angle, yaw rate, transverse acceleration, etc. Output lines 48 through 52 lead from output circuit 16 to valve and/or pump arrangements 54 through 58, which are assigned to the individual wheel brakes. As part of the control functions it executes, control unit 10 triggers the valve and/or pump arrangements to influence the brake pressure in the respective wheel brakes as specified according to the control function.

[0011] Examples of the control functions executed by control unit 10 through programs implemented in microcomputer 14 are known from the related art cited in the preamble. In the case of braking force and/or braking torque calculations based on the brake pressure determined and conversely, the brake characteristic values of the individual wheel brakes are analyzed when converting setpoint torque values or setpoint force values to brake pressure setpoint values and/or in calculations of the estimate of wheel performance. These factors are determined by the design of each brake and are composed of the effective contact areas of the brake shoes on the brake disks, the distance from the center of each brake shoe to the brake disk, the distance from the center of each brake shoe to the center of the wheel, and the coefficient of friction between each brake shoe and the brake disk. These variables are not usually available and/or they are subject to changes. If typical values for the brake characteristic value are assumed as constant, the accuracy of calculations performed on the basis of this brake characteristic value is not adequate for some applications. It has been found that during phases in which the pressure in the wheel brake is known, it is possible to estimate the coefficient of friction on the brake and thus to estimate the brake parameter. The pressure in the wheel brake is known when it measured directly or when the driver brakes without regulating intervention. In this case, the wheel brake pressure is equal to the measured admission pressure, because the pressure values input by the driver into the hydraulic brake system are transmitted to the wheel brakes without any influence. If this is the case, then the brake characteristic value may be determined individually for each wheel as a function of wheel-specific variables. The following formula has proven suitable:

CP=(λ*FN*RRAD*CLAM)/PRAD+MMOT/PRAD

[0012] where λ denotes the wheel slip, FN is the tire contact force, which may be measured or estimated, for example, PRAD is the dynamic wheel radius, which may be assumed to be constant, CLAM is the proportionality factor between the slip and the coefficient of friction, which may also be assumed to be constant, PRAD is the wheel brake pressure, which in the present operating state corresponds to the measured admission pressure, and MMOT is the driving torque of the engine, which is transferred to the wheel in question. For a non-driven wheel, the additive term is therefore eliminated without a replacement.

[0013] If a condition prevails under which the brake characteristic value may be estimated while braking, the individual brake characteristic values are calculated according to the formula given above. To counteract interference with the signals used, the calculated value is then also low-pass filtered using a very large time constant. This eliminates extreme values in the adaptation.

[0014] If the operating state as described above is not available for adaptation of the brake characteristic value, the previously calculated value is retained.

[0015] The above formula is derived on the basis of the equilibrium of torques on the wheel. In another embodiment, an equation derived from the equilibrium of forces is used. These equations differ only by a brake-specific constant.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the procedure described above is implemented as a program in microcomputer 14 of control unit 10. Such a program is diagramed in FIG. 2 on the basis of a flow chart.

[0017] After starting the program part, the required variables are input for each wheel in a first step 100, i.e., wheel slip λRADi, admission pressure PVOR, tire contact force Fni and, if available, brake pressure PRADi (measured, or calculated by using the hydraulic model). Then in step 102, a check is performed to determine whether the admission pressure is 0, i.e., the driver is not braking and a regulator which might be present is not active, i.e., no braking intervention is being implemented. If this is the case, then according to step 104, previous brake characteristic value CP(n−1) is retained. Then in step 106, the brake characteristic value thus determined is filtered through a low-pass filter and output in step 108. This program is repeated in the next interval. If step 102 has shown that a braking operation is underway, then in step 110, brake characteristic value CP(n) is calculated on the basis of the formula given above. This is followed by step 106.

[0018] In the diagram according to FIG. 2, the wheel brake pressure is known. If this is not the case, then step 110 is initiated only when the admission pressure is greater than a certain limiting value and no regulator is active. In this case, the wheel brake pressure is then equal to the measured admission pressure.

[0019]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart illustrating one possibility for analyzing the brake characteristic value as a computer program. According to this, after the program starts in first step 200, the brake setpoint values determined are input for individual wheel brakes MSOLLXY. In the next step 202, a corresponding brake pressure setpoint PSOLLXY is determined from the corresponding setpoint torque variable, taking into account adapted brake characteristic values CPXY. Then in step 204, by using the hydraulic model known from the related art cited in the preamble, triggering times TXY for the valve arrangements are determined for each individual wheel brake on the basis of the setpoint pressure thus determined and the estimated or measured actual brake pressure.

[0020] By using the corresponding variables, the procedure described above is also used with pneumatic wheel brakes or brakes using an electric motor for application of braking force. Instead of the brake pressure, an electric current quantity is then used, for example, because this represents the control variable triggering the application of braking force. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of determining a characteristic value of a wheel brake, the characteristic value representing the relationship between the braking torque or braking force and the control variable of a wheel brake which triggers the application of braking force by the wheel brake, the brake characteristic value being determined as a function of operating variables, wherein the brake characteristic value is determined for each wheel individually as a function of wheel-specific variables.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control variable is the brake pressure or a triggering variable of a wheel brake actuated by an electric motor.
 3. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the wheel-specific variables include the wheel slip, the tire contact force, the wheel brake pressure, and the wheel radius.
 4. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine torque acting on the wheel is analyzed in the case of driven wheels.
 5. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the characteristic value is determined only when no regulator intervention measure is taking place and the driver is braking.
 6. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein a change in the characteristic value takes place only in a predetermined operating state, and outside this operating state, the value determined for the characteristic value is retained.
 7. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the brake characteristic value determined is filtered.
 8. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the brake characteristic value is used to determine the setpoint brake pressure from a setpoint braking torque, to determine the wheel brake pressure from the measured braking force or the measured braking torque or to estimate wheel performance.
 9. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the following formula is used to determine the characteristic value (CP): CP=(λ*FN*RRAD*CLAM)/PRAD+MMOT/PRAD.
 10. A device for determining a characteristic value of a wheel brake, comprising a control unit which, to implement at least one control function, analyzes the characteristic value of a wheel brake which represents relationship between the braking torque or braking force and a control variable which triggers the application of braking force, the control unit having means which determine this characteristic value, wherein the means determine the characteristic value individually for each wheel on the basis of wheel-specific variables. 